Gov. John Hickenlooper signs into a law a bill designed to improve the state's personnel system as lawmakers, staffers and others look on. HB12-1321, a measure designed to improve the state’s personnel system

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed so many bills into law this week he must have writer’s cramp and there are still more measures to act on by the Friday deadline.

At 1:30 this afternoon in the west foyer, the governor will publicly sign a criminal omnibus bill into law. Folded into that bill, by the Judiciary Committee chairs, Sen. Morgan Carroll and Rep. Bob Gardner, are other criminal justices measures, some of which died on the calendar the second-to-last day of the session during a civil unions brouhaha, but were revived by amending them into the omnibus bill.

Yesterday, Hickenlooper signed HB12-1321, a measure designed to improve the state’s personnel system. In addition, the legislature referred a measure to the voters, which is designed to increase the flexibility of the state’s personnel system.

“This ballot measure continues the work we’ve started with changing the state’s personnel system,” Hickenlooper said. “The changes would give state government more flexibility in retaining and recruiting top talent and would make Colorado and even more military-friendly state.”

Traditionally, most candidates endorsed by the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry are Republicans, which is why the endorsements of Democrats is noteworthy. The Democrats who received CACI’s blessing are Reps. Sue Schafer of Wheat Ridge and Angela Williams of Denver, and Sen. Pat Steadman of Denver.

Of the 26 incumbents endorsed by CACI, two are House members running for the Senate. All the endorsed candidates will receive the maximum $400 donation from CACI, according to a news release from the group.

Two freshman lawmakers are on their way to the Republican National Convention after a round of voting that stunned seasoned politicos.

Rep. J. Paul Brown of Ignacio came in third out of 852 Republicans running Saturday to attend the convention in Tampa in August. Sen. Kevin Grantham of Canon City placed fourth.

To put that in perspective, the top vote-getter among those running for the 12 at-large seats was former Congressman Bob Beauprez. The second highest was former University of Colorado president and U.S. Sen. Hank Brown.

What the heck happened?

“I’m not sure,” said Rep. Brown. “It was the biggest surprise of my life. I wasn’t even sure I would get elected delegate.”

Speaker Frank McNulty, candidate Amy Attwood of Jefferson County and Majority Leader Amy Stephens at a fundraiser tonight for GOP House candidates. The event was held at Patsy's in northwest Denver.

A fundraiser tonight in northwest Denver for state House Republican candidates is just one of a number of fundraisers scheduled in the next few days.

House Speaker Frank McNulty told guests that his caucus pushed business-and-job friendly legislation in 2011, another reason, he said, to make sure Republicans keep the majority after the 2012 election.

Various fundraisers are being held this week and early next week. Lawmakers are restricted in raising money after the session begins Jan. 11. And an earlier primary — moved from August to June — accounts for some of the other events.

Their new districts are among the 33 competitive districts proposed by Mario Carrera, the lone unaffiliated member on the Colorado Reapportionment Commission. (Here are his maps: Compromise Senate plan; Compromise House plan; to review districts closer up, scroll down each file.)

He drew his own House and Senate maps, after rejecting certain provisions of Republican and Democratic maps discussed earlier this week. Carrera’s maps, along with the earlier proposals, will be considered at a meeting Monday.

Acree currently represents Arapahoe and Elbert County, a GOP stronghold. In 2010, she didn’t even draw a Democrat challenger. Ryden won her 2010 race 56 percent to 44 percent, despite the national GOP tidal wave.

House Republicans are having fun with their colleague, Rep. J. Paul Brown, on his bear bill.

Few bills have drummed up as many e-mails, phone calls and practical jokes as Rep. J. Paul Brown’s proposal to overturn a 19-year ban on the spring bear hunt.

Animal-rights activists have railed against House Bill 1294 by Brown, an Ignacio Republican. The bill would allow the Division of Wildlife to allow the hunting of bears whenever necessary. The bill has passed committee and is waiting to be debated by the entire House.

In the meantime, Brown’s fellow Republicans, including Rep. Ken Summers, R-Lakewood, couldn’t resist playing a practical joke on him, circulating a popular Internet photo of a bear at a picnic table.

Asked if he had seen it yet, Brown laughed. “Heck yea,” he said. “That was funny.”

O’Donnell: “You said that the United Nations is going to try to control our land and our guns, and then said this is going to cause civil war. Who is the civil war between, and is this appropriate rhetoric to bring up in a state legislative race?

Brown: “It’s a concern of mine, you know, if you start taking away our guns. I’m sorry, people are going to stand up, and they’re not going to let it happen. The idea that Hillary Clinton is out there doing a treaty with the United Nations, it’s my opinion that maybe we just ought to get out of the United Nations.”

Several Republicans in the audience looked at each wide-eyed as Brown spoke.

Brown, of Ignacio, is a rancher and businessman. O’Donnell, of Durango, is the executive director of the Conservation Lands Foundation.

O’Donnell, in his closing, said he planned to “focus on solutions, not conspiracy theories.”

Maes, the GOP candidate for governor, had been lampooned nationally since warning voters that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s policies, particularly his efforts to boost bike riding, are “converting Denver into a United Nations community.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.